WVON anniversary celebration

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March 29, 2013 10:24:27 AM PDT

March 29, 2013 (CHICAGO) --

WVON 1690AM, The Talk of Chicago is celebrating 50 years on the air in Chicago.

From 1963 to 2013, WVON has evolved from the "Voice of the Negro" to the "Voice of the Nation." Lead by the efforts of President & Chairman, Melody Spann Cooper, WVON has planned a historic weekend that will showcase how they have IMPACTED the nation. The weekend festivities will begin on Friday, April 5th, with a kickoff party and a performance by legendary artist, Roy Ayers at Alhambra Palace. Saturday, April 6th, WVON will host their "IMPACT 50" Grand Gala at the Chicago Theatre.

The "IMPACT 50" Grand Gala will take place at The Chicago Theatre located in the heart of downtown Chicago, 175 North State Street, and will feature a performance by six-time Grammy award winning artist, Toni Braxton. Tracee Ellis Ross, will co-host the show along with morning personality, Matt McGill. Ross is best known as the star of the hit sitcom "Girlfriends," which ran for eight seasons on The UPN/CW network. Her role on the series earned her eight NAACP Image Award nominations including two wins, one in 2007 and another in 2009, in the category of Outstanding Lead Actress in a Comedy Series. She recently starred in and produced the BET series "Reed Between the Lines," opposite Malcolm Jamal Warner. The program will feature a chronological dance routine choreographed by Andrea Kelly, with remarks by Roland Martin, Rev. Jesse Jackson, Cathy Hughes, Rev. Al Sharpton, Dick Gregory, a special performance by Terisa Griffin and many more.

ABOUT WVON 1690AM, The Talk of Chicago WVON is the oldest African-American oriented radio station in Chicago. With its urban talk format, the station is lauded as a leading source of information and community empowerment. In August 2006, President, Spann-Cooper created a unique relationship with Clear Channel ? a historic agreement between one of the nation's largest owners of radio stations and one of the oldest African-American owned radio station's in the country. This agreement is a huge coup and a major upgrade for WVON ? a 15-hour a day broadcasting entity. With this power deal, WVON broadcasts for 24 hours a day, with a wattage increase from 1,000 to 10,000. Under her leadership, WVON became the first and only media institution to receive the prestigious Studs Terkel Award from the Community Media Workshop.